By Liza Soriano
MANILA — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) clarified on Monday (02 Dec 2024) that it does not associate Senator Bong Go with Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and activities related to illegal drugs.
The PDEA made the explanation after the name and photo Go appeared in its presentation at the Quad Committee Hearing of the House on November 27, which seemed to give a wrong impression to the public.
“The Agency would like to make it clear that nowhere in the said matrix indicated that the Honorable Senator is involved in the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs and illegal drug activities, even more so in our past public pronouncements,” PDEA said in a statement.
“He is not even considered as an incorporator of any corporations involved in POGO operations. He is not and under no circumstances, in the Agency’s drug watchlist,” it added.
PDEA moreover said that the presentation is a product of consolidated information from the Senate and Congressional inquiries on illegal drugs and POGOs, including intelligence data from PDEA and various reliable sources.
“PDEA merely bared the presentation with an intention to provide all critical data available without withholding information so as not to be remiss in its legal obligation as an invited resource agency during formal investigations of the House of Representatives Quad Committee Hearing in aid of legislation,” the agency added.
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